Vegetarian Dinner Series Coming to Bent Restaurant: Veggielicious Menu Preview

Susur Lee has never been one to shy away from a carnivorous selection at his restaurants but his reverence for the humble veggie is not to be ignored. Of course, for a chef who made his mark serving a Singapore Slaw – a vegetarian staple dish – the veteran chef has a special appreciation for the diversity and distinctiveness that can be achieved without the use of meat. To that end, and to satisfy a growing number of veggiecurious eaters, he’ll be hosting Veggielicious by Bent from September 9th to 20th.

Fish not included on the Veggielicious menu

“I feel that vegetarianism is very important but not enough vegetarian food tastes very good,” Lee admitted to a group of fellow bloggers at a recent workshop (#veggielicious101) held at his Dundas West restaurant. “There are a lot of ways to make deep and interesting vegetarian dishes. Many veggie restaurants are afraid to put spices in their food.”

Lucky for those interested in the 5-course, $45 prix fixe tasting menu there will be no shortage of bold flavours. The menu is designed to play off of Toronto’s cultural diversity, while incorporating a few of Lee’s signature touches

From Marrakesh to Montego Bay

A trio of tantalizing dips will be first on the table. Velvety hummus of romano beans with salted chilies, a spicy mustard seed tomato stew with walnut and curry leaf as well as a Caribbean eggplant babaganoush are served with baked garlic lavash. Take your palate on a culinary world tour while cleansing each bite with warm roasted olives with sumach and lemon preserve. This will mix well with a twist on a Canadian bar classic – the Asian Caesar with sriracha, sesame chili oil and hoisin sauce.

A mound of freshness and flavour

Proving still that he’s able to assemble a wicked salad, the tingly chilled soba will truly tickle your taste buds. Taiwanese vinaigrette spiked with tongue numbing Szechuan peppercorns makes this noodle salad of local veggies, braised shitake mushrooms, shiso leaf and nori crisps really pop. Interestingly enough, Chef Lee actually grows many of his vegetables and herbs in a garden a couple doors down from Bent on Markham Street.

I could eat this all day

Mild shishito peppers are not understated alongside crispy bites of chickpea tempura tofu drizzled with a sweet Korean chili sauce. Like all of the dishes, including the main course finisher of creamy wild mushroom quinoa risotto, the execution is exceptional. Ask your server to hold the romano parmigiano emulsion for a vegan option.

Pretty and perfect

Guests will finish with a sweet a sweet plate of French meringue infused with golden licorice as you sip on a complimenting Karate Kid 2. The airy meringue is topped with a lemon curd, wild blueberries, peaches, passionfruit syrup and raspberry coulis pairs perfectly with this sour of negori sake, jasmine tea gin, yuzu juice and vanilla syrup. Yes, this is real life.

Reservations are now being accepted for Veggielicious, so if this meal sounds as good to you as it tasted to me, it’s worth booking soon.

Garnishing the Karate Kid 2

Susur Lee's garden on Markham St.

Wild mushroom quinoa risotto with roasted cauliflower, romano parmigiano emulsion and tempeh crouton

The Asian Caesar

Susur's signature Singapore slaw

A beautiful afternoon at Bent

Side up to the bar if you'd like

Who's The Real Fat Pasha?

The air is damp and it’s drizzling as I sit down on the barely moist bench at Fat Pasha’s back patio. The Dupont Street restaurant – the third on the midtown strip launched by chef and co-owner Anthony Rose – has been open for just about two months. Reviews have been resoundingly positive despite catering to a nitpicky local clientele. Fat Pasha serves Rose’s twist on Middle Eastern food, with an added pinch of personality, and several dashes of schmaltz.

The best chopped liver I've ever had – drizzled tableside with schmaltz!!!

The 41-year old Toronto-born chef sits across from me in a jean shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His demeanor is more placid that usual. He’s getting over the stomach flu and a broken heart. His love for his restaurant, his son, his employees, his eats and his customers, is however evident.

It’s 8pm on a Saturday night and the restaurant is getting slammed. Unexpected rain has limited their patio seating to less than 50 per cent capacity (their full awning is being installed on July 28th) and some of the customers are cranky. Those with a more laissez faire attitude are enjoying everything from the food to the al-fresco atmosphere. He remains engaged in our conversation while somehow quality checking with staff and complimenting neighboring tables on their meal choices “You’re never going to please them all,” Rose concedes. “But we do our best and we do what we love and that’s what’s most important.”

READ MORE... full article and the truth behind "The Real Fat Pasha" on View the Vibe

Seared albacore tuna w/ preserved lemon and salsa verde

Sensational schmaltz fried rice

Ice cream sandwich for dessert w/ caramelized matzah and Manischewitz jelly

READ my full article on View the Vibe.

Shibui Robata Bar Opens on Adelaide

Shibui Robata Bar is the latest addition to the growing Copacabana empire, headed up by brothers Jeremia and Michael Rudan. The cozy 80-seater occupies the basement floor of Copa's flagship Adelaide Street location.

A dizzying array of sashimi, including fresh seabream from Japan

Aside from an inventive array of sushi rolls and sashimi spreads of the highest caliber, Shibui is conceptually centred around the robata grill. Robatayaki (or robata) is a centuries-old cooking method that originated in Hokkaido, the northernmost island in Japan. Fisherman used a sunken hearth (irori) on their boats as a source for warmth and a method of slow grilling their food.

The Rudan brothers fell in love with robata grilling on various trips to New York and Miami, promptly soliciting the culinary talents of Chef Masaki Nakayama, former chef at Fujisawa, Sushi Yasuda, Mr. Robata and other notables in New York. He most recently held it down in the kitchen at the renowned Japanese restaurant Zuma in Miami. Admittedly, Chef Nakayama may be even more masterful with a sushi knife than on the grill. Everything I sampled last night was top notch, from the fresh seabream sashimi to the succulent lamp chops with spicy Korean miso glaze.

Crafty cocktails - Ume and Yuzu Mojito, Kyuri Sake with muddled cucumber and Pink Blossom 

Shibui chefs hard at work topping robata grilled sweet potato with red miso

Robata grilled lamb chop with spicy Korean miso glaze

Kinoko salad with soba noodles, Japanese mushroom and ponzu dressing 

Chilean sea bass with teriyaki glaze

Trio Ristorante - REVIEW

Trio Ristorante may not be one of those much talked about downtown Toronto restaurants, but Midtowners in the know have been singing its praises for years. The romantically lit two-story restaurant on Yonge Street has been serving up a tantalizing mix of traditional Italiano for nearly 8 years.

Owner Eduardo Beccati hails from Calabria in Southern Italy and describes his fourth restaurant as a family oriented place for great pizza and handmade pasta. The mix of tables reflects his statement, though don’t cross Trio off your date night list.

The sweet aroma of roasted garlic from their wood oven-baked bread is the first thing to hit my nose when I walk in. It’s a perfect compliment to the windowed wine cellar, the flickering candlelight and the Italian love songs. It makes me feel like I’m back in the “old country”.

READ more about my gut-busting Italian feast at Trio Ristorante in my full article at View the Vibe

Lou Dawg's is Giving Away Free Poutine!!

Toronto Food Truck Bylaws – Are Vendors Getting Their Just Desserts?

Food truck operators across Toronto will be serving from downtown curbsides (in theory) for the first time this summer, but restrictions are souring the otherwise sweet occasion. The final city council vote on the new food truck bylaws took place on April 3rd. The results largely fell short of operator’s expectations.

Red dots show restricted areas for food trucks in Toronto given the 50m rule (image courtesy of Metro News)

“We didn’t get exactly what we were lobbying for,” says Krystian Catala, owner of the Gourmet Gringos food truck and an expanding list of bricks and mortar locations. “The fact that we can use parking lots is a great advantage, but the 50m thing is a way of cancelling out the chance of doing any vending downtown.”

The approved bylaws will allow food trucks to park in pay-and-display parking spaces for a maximum of three hours, with a cap of two trucks per block. No trucks will be allowed to park within 50m of any existing restaurant, however.

READ what other challenges lie ahead for Toronto food truck vendors in my FULL ARTICLE ON VIEW THE VIBE

The Senator Restaurant - Revisiting Toronto's Oldest Restaurant

Walk through the metal framed doors of The Senator Restaurant and step back into a dining room from a bygone era. There’s a vintage Coca-Cola machine to your right. The laminate bar is coloured eggshell and matches with the tabletops, as does the burgundy leather of the barstools and banquets. Faded checkerboard floors lead you towards the cozy cubicles where a mishmash of patrons have been noshing on utilitarian diner classics for generations.

After 85 years of continuous service, The Senator remains the oldest restaurant in Toronto. Established in 1929 in a small house at 249 Victoria Street, the historic eatery has seen decades of development come and go, but little has changed within its four walls. A place of nostalgia for many. A place likely unknown to many more. Bob Sniderman rescued the restaurant from demolition when he took over in 1984, but stuck to its humble origins… until now.

READ about all the new changes to The Senator Restaurant in my FULL ARTICLE ON VIEW THE VIBE

Is Fine Dining A Dying Breed In Toronto?

The restaurant scene in Toronto is booming. Gastro-gems are popping up on corners across town and formerly neglected neighbourhoods are becoming culinary hubs for the epicurious. The trend of the tartan shirt server has slowed down – somewhat. The restos du jour are accepting reservations – mostly. Bay Streeters are brunching alongside stentorian university students. Dining out five or six nights a week has become an avocation of the everyman. As culinary culture creeps towards the middle, both in access and audience, what has come of the upper echelon of eating out? Is fine dining a dying breed in Toronto?

Find out the answer in my FULL ARTICLE at View the Vibe.

Photo from Hunt Camp at Farmhouse Tavern

Best Ramen in Toronto... Depending on Your Mood

On a frigid and frosty winter afternoon the perfect pick-me-up is a bowl of ramen. Al dente noodles, soothing broth and a comforting accompaniment of savoury toppings, there are an increasing number of locations to find laudable bowls of the stuff.

Tonkotsu Black Ramen from Sansotei Ramen

But as much as the growing crop of ramen shops and their critics are quick to claim that they’re the best ramen in the city, why not take a different approach? There’s a multitude of different preparation across Japan and dozens of different styles being showcased across Toronto – though, there are four primary types of broth that tend to form a base (tonkotsu, shio, shoyu and miso). Here are some of the ramen shops you should check out depending on your particular craving…

Best Tonkotsu Ramen

The prototypic pork bone broth originating from the Hakata region of Japan – almost milky-white in colour, it leaves a satisfying stickiness to ones lips due to the extracted collagen from the simmered bones. Side up under the giant fisherman’s rope at Sansotei Ramen on Dundas Street for the most rich and delicious tonkotsu broth in the city. With simple toppings of bamboo shoots, black fungus (woodear mushrooms) and the ooziest soft boiled egg in the game, it’s too bad there’s always a lineup out the door or I’d just bring a pillow and drift off to blissful slumber after my mow.

Best Shio Ramen

There are many ways to make a shio (salt) ramen, however its salty clear or pale yellowish broth is often created using a combination of chicken, fish, vegetables and seaweed for the broth. That said, my favourite shio broth uses a trifecta of chicken, pork and vegetables to achieve a broth that’s so light and supple that I’ve been raving about it ever since first taste. Ryus Noodle Bar on Baldwin Street is where it can be found, but one may be left wondering what happened to their soup after so quickly slurping it up.

Best Shoyu Ramen

Though I was a big fan of A-OK Foods’ shoyu ramen, and their fantastic housemade noodles until they closed last month, I’m going to have to go with Bladwin Village original, Kinton Ramen on this one. Another three tiered chicken, pork and vegetable broth, one may want to go straight for their “extra pork ramen” where char shu fiends can get just that – an extra hit of the really good stuff atop their steamy bowl. Served with bean sprouts, scallion, nori and a seasoned egg, simply delicious is really just the only way to describe it.

Best Miso Ramen

I’m generally going to go straight back to Sansotei for my bowl of miso ramen, but in the interest of variety I’ll present another ramen shop that does a bang up job. Ramen Raijin doesn’t have quite the same complexity or richness as some other tonkotsu slingers, but the salty umami hit of miso in their soup makes for a welcoming bite. With green onion, bean sprouts, cabbage and corn it’s a hearty soup that will heat you to the core on a chilly winters eve.

Best Spicy Ramen

Sansotei just added a spicytonkotsu to their menu, Raijin’s spicy miso is pretty bomb, and Ryus’ spicy miso ramen with mabo tofu might be one of the most interesting of these edibles in Toronto, but Hokkaido Ramen Santouka does something seriously special for spice lovers. Their volcanic kara miso ramen is topped with green onion, woodear mushrooms, cabbage and tofu and bamboo shoots and can also be ordered with char shu – despite the significant increase in price, however, it’s always worth one extra element. Known around the world (Santouka have over 55 international locations) their toroniku (pork jowl) is one of the best bits of pork you’ll ever indulge in.

Note: I was going to include the best vegetarian ramen in Toronto on this list, however I’ve never eaten one… and don’t honestly intend to.

*Article originally published on View the Vibe 

Celebrity Chef Mark McEwan and Director Joseph Levy Discuss the Toronto Restaurant Industry

We’ve reached a unique period in Toronto’s dining history. No longer are the lavish, large-scale odes to classical French and Italian cuisine dominating the dining landscape. Complex, ingredient-heavy preparations are fading staples of the pass. And the allure of celebrity chefdom has captured the intrigue of both the diner and disciple.

On a snowy December day I sat beside Chef Mark McEwan in the living room of Sol Shalit’s (Shalit Foods) Rosedale condo, while SpinningPlates’ director Joseph Levy joined us over Skype from his Los Angeles home. Our discussion would revolve around the restaurant industry in Toronto – how food television and film have influenced audiences and aspiring cooks, what makes a successful restaurant in Toronto, and what the future holds for our city’s budding culinary landscape.

Chef McEwan and Joseph Levy Hug it Out

Despite occupying two dichotomizing spheres of the industry, both men are on a constant quest for authenticity in their own work as much as the work of others.

“The trend in TV is that they’re creating a heavily manufactured reality,” Levy remarked as the chef nodded along. In Spinning Plates, Joseph managed to capture deep and difficult times in a restaurant’s existence, something that’s often left out of the mainstream television narrative. McEwan will confess that food television can give aspiring chefs a false vision of life on the line.

“There’s an allure to the restaurant industry that’s been brought out with food television – it’s like flies to a light – they’re attracted to it and then they die,” McEwan admits.

Read my FULL ARTICLE at View the Vibe... 

Chef Mark McEwan